When the News Feels Like Too Much
A moment to pause and take care of ourselves right now.
By Seattle Mag January 27, 2026
The recent news out of Minneapolis has been hard to watch. No matter where you live, it’s heavy and destabilizing. Staying engaged when things start to feel hopeless—and when it feels like there’s nothing you can do—is really difficult. At our staff meeting today, we talked about how many of us are feeling this same way.
It can be hard to know the “right” response—or whether there even is one.
We’ll keep telling stories about Seattle and the people who make this city what it is. But we also want to take a minute and acknowledge how heavy things feel, and that many of us are carrying this in our daily lives.
Taking care of yourself matters. It might mean stepping away from the news for a few hours, putting the phone down, eating something good, going outside, celebrating the Seahawks heading to Super Bowl LX, or checking in on someone you love. None of this fixes what’s happening in Minneapolis, but it can help you stay grounded enough to move through your day.
Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is protect your head space so you can keep showing up for your neighbors, and for this beautiful country we all share.
If you’re looking for ways to help, this site shares ways to support people across Minnesota. And you can read firsthand accounts of what it’s like living there now.
(Photo by Chad Davis Photography.)
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